So here we are again: another set of ACC vs. SEC non-conference games—only this time with renewed confidence. Clemson’s big win over LSU in last year’s Chick-Fil-A Bowl has everyone in the ACC buzzing.

“This league is way undervalued,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said earlier this spring. “But the only way to prove it is to show it.”

In addition to the annual games between Florida and Florida State, South Carolina and Clemson and Georgia and Georgia Tech, the ACC-SEC games this fall include Alabama-Virginia Tech, Clemson-Georgia, South Carolina-North Carolina, Miami-Florida and Wake Forest-Vanderbilt.

FIVE BEST GAMES

FIVE WORST GAMES

Bethune-Cookman at Florida State, Sept. 21

Savannah State at Miami, Sept. 21

Old Dominion at North Carolina, Nov. 23

Wagner at Syracuse, Sept. 14

Elon at Georgia Tech, Aug. 31

QUICK HITS

— It all changes next year, when the ACC and Notre Dame begin a scheduling agreement that will give the Irish five games a year against ACC schools as part of ND joining the ACC as a non-football playing member. That’s where some ACC officials have come up with the idea of the ACC playing “eight and a half” conference games: Teams will play the Irish every fourth year. The games will technically be non-conference games, and will boost the ACC’s strength of schedule. First up in 2014: Louisville, North Carolina and Wake Forest at Notre Dame, and Florida State and Syracuse playing host to the Irish.

— It’s Year 3 under Al Golden at Miami, and presumably (or should we say, hopefully?) the Canes will no longer have to self impose bowl sanctions or deal with more postseason sanctions from the NCAA. And after three years of recruiting a more balanced (and talented) roster, Miami’s schedule sets up, too.

—The Canes don’t leave the state of Florida over the first five weeks of the season, and nine of their 12 games are played in Florida – including non-conference games against Florida, FAU and FCS Savannah State, and at USF. There’s not a better time to have a talented senior quarterback (Stephen Morris), dangerous skill players and an improved defense.

—The bad news for Clemson: It has to play two of the six SEC heavyweights. The good news: Those two games (Georgia, at South Carolina) will give the Tigers enough poll juice should they need poll love while trying to advance to the BCS National Championship Game. Don’t laugh; that Clemson team that beat LSU last year could play with anyone— like Miami, play an inordinate amount of games (eight) in the state of South Carolina.

—NC State, the classic underachiever of the last few years, gets rising coaching star Dave Doeren to run the show—and look how it all begins. The Wolfpack have a favorable schedule that could translate to—ready for this?—as many as 10 or more wins.

—The non-con portion of the schedule is embarrassing (Louisiana Tech, FCS Richmond, Central Michigan, ECU), and the ACC schedule has all of two games where NC State won’t be favored (Clemson, at FSU). Doeren won double-digit games in his first two seasons as a head coach at Northern Illinois, and could make it three in a row this fall.